Woking 2 Wrexham AFC 2

Woking 2 Wrexham AFC 2

WREXHAM'S first game without Dean Keates in charge ended in a 2-2 draw at Woking.

Keates was announced as Walsall manager the previous day so his assistant, Andy Davies, and first team coach Carl Darlington were the interim management team against Woking.

The Reds played well but were unable to continue the promotion challenge with a win as Woking grabbed an equaliser.

The starting line-up showed one change from the side that beat Chester the previous weekend.

Mark Carrington, making his return following a two-month lay-off as an early substitute in the derby win, kept his place as Manny Smith failed to recover from a hip injury that forced him off against the Blues.

Wrexham enjoyed a good spell of possession from the start and Sam Wedgbury was not far away with a shot from just outside the area.

But although the Reds had been on the front foot, Woking took the lead in the 11th minute.

Nathan Ralph delivered a corner and Josh Staunton headed home at the far post.

Wrexham regrouped and Wedgbury's 25-yard volley took a deflection and was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Scott Quigley failed to hit the target after latching onto Marcus Kelly's pass with Wrexham continuing to boss proceedings, while Jason Banton's free-kick was well saved by Chris Dunn at the other end.

But Wrexham were soon back on the offensive and the Reds equalised in the 33rd minute.

Paul Rutherford whipped in a cross from the right that evaded everyone and found the bottom corner of the net with the aid of a possible deflection.

Dunn made a smart save from Louis Theophanous but it remained all square at the break.

Carrington poured forward and shot wide as Wrexham made a bright start to the second half and Kelly, at the heart of everything for the Reds, brought a fantastic save out of Baxter

There was more heroics from Baxter who saved Shaun Pearson's header from Rutherford's centre and also did well to keep out David Raven's follow-up.

But Baxter was beaten in the 60th minute as Wrexham took a 2-1 lead.

A corner was returned to Kelly whose cross ended up in the top left corner.

Kelly was getting into some superb positions and was twice thwarted by Baxter before Woking enjoyed a good spell.

Wrexham almost made it 3-1 when Scott Quigley flicked Kevin Roberts' pass on for Chris Holroyd who was denied by Baxter.

Scott Boden then replaced Quigley and Woking hit the crossbar through Reece Grego-Cox before equalising in the 80th minute.

Ralph sent in a corner and Joey Jones nodded past Dunn.

Akil Wright and Simon Ainge replaced Nicky Deverdics and Kelly on 86 minutes while Theophanous forced a good save out of Dunn as Woking pressed.

Boden should have done better in added time but it finished in a draw.

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here